On Sunday, Rory McIlroy sealed a fantastic stretch of golf over the past three months by winning the 2014 PGA Championship over a hard-charging Phil Mickelson. Unlike his previous win at the British Open, McIlroy faced great challenges during the last round of competition. Despite the obstacles, however, McIlroy was able to win his second, consecutive major event, putting him among golf’s greatest golfers already at age 25. So, what’s the key to his recent run of success, you ask? Apparently, it’s bachelorhood.

Rory McIlroy and tennis star Caroline Wozniacki announced their engagement on New Year’s Day this year via Twitter. The announcement came somewhat as a surprise considering recent rumors surrounding the couple’s impending doom. Fast-forward four months and that doom would be less impending and more real as McIlroy called Wozniacki to break-up moments before the first round at BMW PGA Championship – an event McIlroy would go on to win.

Since 2008 U.S. Open, Rory McIlroy has MORE major wins (4) than Bubba Watson (2) & Tiger Woods (1) COMBINED.

— Numbers Never Lie (@ESPN_Numbers) August 11, 2014

Most major victories age 25 or younger in Masters Era (since 1934): Tiger Woods 6 Rory McIlroy 4 Jack Nicklaus 4 pic.twitter.com/uUrAatUO14

— Numbers Never Lie (@ESPN_Numbers) August 11, 2014

McIlroy’s success would not end there, as the golfer from Northern Ireland would go on to win the British Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational back-to-back, both in convincing fashion.

In speaking with The Daily Mail about the reason behind his increased performance (especially considering his one-win year in 2013), McIlroy opened up about the developments in his personal life:

I think what happened has been for the better in terms of my golf. I’ve put a bit more time into it and it has refocused me. I mean, what else do I have to do now? I go to the golf course, I go to the gym and it’s just my life at the minute… I worked pretty hard before but the past couple of months I’ve really just buried myself in my game. It obviously works pretty well, so I am going to keep doing it.

While many may question the cause-and-effect nature of McIlroy’s break-up with Wozniacki, the numbers don’t lie. McIlroy’s last three performances have been other-worldly, and who are we to tell McIlroy was the key to his success was or was not?

Rory, Jack, Tiger: Charts. http://t.co/i942I78fe2

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) August 11, 2014

Unfortunately, the road has not been as nice for Wozniacki. She lost her first event after the break-up and has only won one tournament since, losing in the first round at the French Open, the fourth round at Wimbledon, and most recently in the quarterfinals to Serena Williams at the 2014 Rodgers Cup.

Image via Twitter